[Video] The Lover’s Sex Guide: Sex Play

The Lovers’ Guide is a sex and relationships advice brand, produced by Lifetime Productions International Ltd, which launched with the release of the first Lovers’ Guide video in 1991.

Presented by the sexologist Dr Andrew Stanway, and produced by Robert Page (Lifetime Group) and William Campbell, this became the only non-fiction film to top the UK video charts; it sold 1.3 million copies in the UK and went into 13 languages and 22 countries around the world. The release caused controversy. While the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) granted the title an 18 certificate, which would normally be a license for general UK distribution, this was technically merely advisory and the producer, Robert Page, faced charges of obscenity, which were subsequently dropped.

The Lovers’ Guide is distinct for using explicit video material to illustrate the instructional points being made. While the explicit nature of the visual content would usually warrant an R18 certificate in the UK, restricting sales to licensed sex shops, all Lovers’ Guide videos and DVDs have been granted 18 certificates.